The Semmes Fire-Rescue Department is seeking applicants for the position of Firefighter/EMT. The Semmes Fire-Rescue Department is one of the busiest Fire and EMS services in Mobile County. The Department covers 55 square miles and operates 3 BLS Engine Companies, Ladder Truck, and other specialized apparatus. With an average of over 3000 calls per year Semmes is a rapidly growing community.

Officially, the City of Semmes is young, it was incorporated just six years ago in 2011, but the community itself has been here more than 150 years. Most of that time, it was a small farming community with plant nurseries as the leading industry, but in recent years the town has grown beyond it’s early roots.

Longtime resident, Alvin Freeman told us, “We moved here in ’61 and it was a two lane road,” he said referring to Highway 98. “We lived on a dirt road. It’s grown, it’s really grown.”

Semmes is still small, but it’s a town rising from the constant flow of traffic on Highway 98.

Brand new fire department

“We’re building the department from scratch and were thrilled to be able to serve the citizens.”

Semmes Fire Chief Kevin Brooks has overseen the transition from a volunteer force to a full-time department with two dozen employees.

“They have to be in shape,” Brooks said. “They have to be able to pull people out of burning structures. They have to be physically fit when they go in to do those type of things. ”

The Semmes training facility even includes a burn building, funded by Mobile county to keep the firefighters in peak form.

“It’s great. It’s centrally located in the county so some of our volunteer fire departments have access to it. It’s a great tool for our department because it’s so close that we can train on it on a daily basis.”

STORMtracker Tour wraps up

The public safety building on Forest street is also where you can meet the FOX10 Meteorologists. It’s our last stop on the FOX10 STORMtracker tour Tuesday night at 6 o’clock. The tour has been a great opportunity to meet many great folks, and get out in the communities we serve. It’s a free event with door prizes and great information! Doors open at four and we’d love to see you in Semmes!

When teaching fire prevention most fire departments focus on small children, third grade and younger, older teens and adults. Because of this, children often lose sight of the fire prevention message after the third grade. For this reason Semmes Fire and Rescue has teamed up with the Mobile Co School System to keep fire safety a priority with older children by putting on a Fire Safety Poster Contest with the 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes in Semmes and the surrounding areas.

The winners of the contest will be announced on Nov. 16, 2017 and the winning posters will then be made into a calendar for 2018 that will show off the artwork of our local children. Each winner will receive a copy of the calendar that has their artwork and each classroom in the participating schools will receive a copy. There will also be additional copies at the Semmes Fire and Rescue office and at Semmes City Hall.

The posters will then be displayed in several prominent places in the Semmes area to show the artwork off to the public before it is returned to the students.

The City of Semmes and the Fire Rescue Department are continually monitoring hurricane Irma. We expect a wind event starting this evening and into Monday. Possibility for 20 to 30 mph winds. Check back for additional updates as the storm draws near.

On Tuesday, February 7, 2017, during the City Council Meeting, Chief Brooks recognized Capt. Wade Walker, Jr (2nd from left), Lt. Daniel Riels (3rd from left), & Lt. Stephen Schmidt (4th from left) with Distinguished Service Awards for performing lifesaving measures when responding to a cardiac arrest event. Also awarded, but not pictured, Firefighter Patrick Hadley & Firefighter Galen Lambeth.

Pictured from left to right: Council Member Howard Smith, Walker Jr., Riels, Schmidt, Mayor David Baker, Chief Kevin Brooks, Council Member Terry Platt, Council Member Lawrence Webb, & Council Member Charles Watts.

Semmes Fire & Rescue received a $10,000 grant from Gulf Coast Resource, Conservation and Development Council.The funds will be used to purchase additional life-saving equipment for the department. Gulf Coast RC&D Executive Director Janice Godwin presented the $10,000 check to Fire Chief Kevin Brooks at an event at the Semmes Training Complex on Tuesday,

Today was the dedication & reopening of Semmes N. L. Dearmon Fire Station # 1. The following pictures show the Dearmon family, Semmes Council Members & guests. Many thanks to Garden Express for the lovely plants, & Semmes Winn Dixie for catering the reception.